Does Your Practice Website Need to Be HIPAA-Compliant?
Most website advice wasn’t written with HIPAA in mind.
A lot of designers are used to working with online businesses where the biggest concerns are clear messaging, strong visuals, and getting people to click the button.
All of those things are important, but when you run a health and wellness practice, there’s another layer to think about: protecting client information and making sure your website setup is HIPAA compliant.
The questions I hear most often are:
“What does having a HIPAA-compliant website actually mean?”
“Can I still use Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress?”
“What do I need to change to protect client information?”
The good news? You probably don’t need to rebuild everything or move to some expensive custom platform. You just need to know what matters most.
So let’s clear things up and make this a whole lot simpler.
An important note first: I’m not a lawyer or HIPAA compliance expert. This information is based on my latest research and what I’ve found works well for clients. For legal guidance specific to your practice, always talk with a qualified professional.
Most Websites Do NOT Need to be Fully HIPAA-Compliant
A lot of providers think their entire website has to be built on a special HIPAA-compliant platform, but for most practices, that just isn’t necessary.
If your website is mainly there to:
explain your services
build trust
share contact information
help people decide if you’re the right fit
…then your biggest focus is how protected health information (PHI) is collected, not whether every single page of your website is HIPAA-compliant.
What DOES Need Extra Attention
The places on your website that you do need to pay a little extra attention to are anywhere someone may submit personal or health information.
That usually includes:
Contact forms
Appointment scheduling
Intake forms
Questionnaires
Client portals
Live chat tools
This is why I always recommend using a HIPAA-compliant EHR or practice management platform and embedding those forms directly onto your website instead of relying on the forms built into Squarespace or WordPress.
My two favorite options are Practice Better and Healthie because they’re easy to manage, look nice, and aren’t too expensive.
Quick tip: No matter what EHR you’re using, the key features to look for are embeddable forms and online scheduling that can connect to your website.
Are Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress HIPAA-Compliant?
Most mainstream website platforms are not HIPAA-compliant on their own, but that does not mean you can’t use them (in fact, I use them for all of my clients).
You just want to make sure that you’re using your website as the front-facing marketing tool and connecting HIPAA-compliant software for anything involving client data.
HIPAA-Compliant Website Essentials
Once your forms and scheduling are handled through a HIPAA-compliant platform, there are a few other basics worth reviewing so your website is secure, transparent, and easier to trust.
Here are a few smart basics to have in place:
SSL certificate (the little lock icon in the browser)
Privacy Policy explaining what data you collect and how it’s used
Cookie notice if tracking cookies are used
Disclaimer for educational content when appropriate
Strong passwords + limited admin access
Plugin/theme updates if you use WordPress
Plan for deleting data when requested
Other Areas of Your Marketing to Consider
Testimonials & Reviews
You need consent before publishing testimonials that identify a client (especially when you’re addressing health concerns). You can make sure your testimonials are HIPAA-compliant by:
Getting written consent for any testimonials you share
Using anonymized testimonials
Embedding Google Reviews (if appropriate)
There are some professions, licensing boards, or locations that restrict the use of testimonials entirely. If that applies to you, you can still build trust through:
clear messaging
FAQs
credentials
your process
speaking directly to client concerns
Analytics & Tracking
This is an area where a lot of people (including me) can get confused. There isn’t super clear information on HIPAA and analytics and the advice and best practices are constantly evolving.
The concern is that standard analytics tools (like Google Analytics) and ad platforms collect data that can be tied to IP addresses or browsing behavior, which can then be linked back to an individual and used to deduce health information about that person.
That doesn’t automatically equal a violation, but it can create risk depending on how your website is used.
My general rule:
Avoid heatmaps/session recording tools
Be cautious with ad tracking on sensitive pages
Don’t track pages behind client logins
Use privacy-friendly tools when possible
There are HIPAA-friendly analytics options, but they can be pricey and aren’t currently necessary for most small practices.
AI Tools
If you use AI tools in your business, never enter client information into public AI tools unless you have a compliant workflow in place. You should only use anonymized examples when sharing information.
My Best Piece of Advice About HIPAA
If someone can share health information on your website, make sure that happens through HIPAA-compliant software (usually your EHR), not through built-in forms or chat widgets. That one shift addresses the majority of HIPAA concerns about your website.
Does your website need a refresh?
If your website needs a refresh, but you want to make sure you’re working with someone who understands HIPAA, I’d love to chat.
With my new Website Refresh options, we can choose the level of support that fits exactly what you need, whether that’s updating forms, improving user experience, cleaning up confusing pages, or making it easier for the right clients to book. You don’t need a full redesign to make meaningful progress. Sometimes a strategic refresh is all it takes.
